Folder device



Aug. 13, 1940. s. STERN 2,211,034

FOLDER DEVICE Filed July 10, 1939 INVENTOYQ I 199 669 Stem 46EL46 WM 47 1 ATTOR NEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FOLDER DEVICE Q Siegfried Stern, New York, N. Y. f Application July 10, 1939, Serial No. 283,587 8 Claims. (01. "129-37 This-invention relates to folders employed in business and professional o'flices for filing letters, legal papers, and the like, and particularlyto devices of this category employing means for de- "tachably retaining the contents of the folders in place. I

Most folders material, the folded edge portions being frequently made expansible to accommodate various thicknesses of papers; and in many instances special devices areemployed in'order to neatly and firmly hold the contents in place. Among these devices are wire clips ofgthe type that require their complete detachment from the folder in order to insert or remove a sheet, and various other types of clips that constitute permanent appurtenances ofthe folder but which are not capable of conveniently accommodating more than a very few sheets. There are also other types of folder fasteners which require the punching of holes through the folders and the papers to be filed and the insertion of flexible binding strips therethrough. Fasteners of this last mentioned type are not only relatively expensive and timeconsuming in effecting an insertion and removal of sheets, but are also undesirable because of the necessity of mutilating the inserts. It is primarily within the contemplation of my invention to overcome these shortcomings by providing a simple andv relatively inexpensive clip, adapted for permanent attachment to a folder, for yield ably and firmly retaining therein various thiclfrnesses of sheet inserts. I

More specifically, it is an objective of this inven-v tion to enable folders of the conventional card-' board type to adjustably accommodate therein various thicknesses of papers, to hold the-papers firmly in place, and to enable sheets to be quickly inserted and removed by a simple manual operation and without any mutilation thereof.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear from the drawing description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folder containing my invention, two resilientholding mem-;

bars being shown thereon, one in 'anoperative projected position and. the otherinan inoperative retracted positioni, i t

Figure 2 is a'fragmentarysection ofFigure 1 taken substantially along line 2 2, showing several inserts in place x Figure 3 is a view similar to' Fig'ure 2 showing the same device operatively Y accommodating a thicker stack of sheet insert'stherein;

are made of a flexible cardboard and the Figure 4 is a rear view of the wire clip constituting a part of my invention, the dot-dash lines representing a stack of sheets positioned between. the clamping portions of the clip.

' Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear view of a folder 5 and clip including several sheet inserts in place. Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional form of folder provided with a folded strip containing the resilient clip of my invention, anda Figures '7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic end views of three forms of folders provided with my invention. 1

In the drawing the folder I0 comprises two sides or covers I l and I2 joined at the folded portion! 3 in conventional manner, these sides being provided" with pockets [4 and I5 formed by adhesively attaching the folded sheet 16 to the said sides. In the form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the sheet i6 is disposed on the '0- 'The resilient holding member or wire clip I9 5 contains the inner looped section 20 flanked by' the two outer legs'Zl, and the two intersecting connecting portions 22 extending transversely from said legs to the opposite lateral portions 23a and 231), respectively, of the said looped section. The preferred arrangement is such that said lateral portions are closer to their respective adjacent legs than to each other, the length of each connecting portion 22 being greater than the distance between the leg to which it is connected and the nearest of. said lateral portions .of the looped section. Thus, in the form illustrated in Figure-1, the space A is greater than either of the spaces B, and the length of each connecting portion 22 is obviously greater than either A or B. The inner .terminal of each leg 2| is provided with a laterally extending stop portion 24, both of said portions being preferably of looped configuration and inane-plane. And in a pre ferred form of my invention, at least one of the 51' The resilientclip m is operatively secured to the folder H] by first compressing the legs 2| inwardly towards each other to permit the stops 24 to clear the lateral sides 26 of the opening [8, the looped section 20 being placed in one pocket l4 and the legs 2! in the other pocket l5. Upon a release of the legs 21, they will spread out laterally to their normal positions adjacent said sides 26 of the opening [8. In the preferred arrangement the opening 18 is so proportioned that the legs 2| of the clip, when in their normal positions, will be in slidable engagement with sides 26 of the opening.

It is thus evident that by grasping the bent portions 25, the clip can be slidably projected inwardly along the sides of the folder, and slidably retracted outwardly. Due to the relative proportions of the opening I8 and the distance across the extreme points of the stops 24, it is also apparent that the folded edge portions 21 of the folder adjacent the opening [8 thereof will serve as a stop to limit the outward movement of the clip and hold it against detachment from the folder.

When it is desired to insert sheets into the 1 folder, the clips ii), of which there may be one or more, are retracted to substantially the position shown in the upper portion of Figure l, whereupon sheets can be readily inserted Within the folder. Then the clips are pushed inwardly to the position shown in the lower portion of the same figure, whereupon the inserts will be held firmly clamped in place within the folder between the looped section 26 and the legs 2|, asclearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

Due to the resiliency of the clip and particularly of the connecting portions 22, stacks of sheets of various thicknesses can readily be accommodated between the looped sections and the legs, the relatively thick stack 28 of Figure 3 being as readily accommodated as the thinner stack 29 of Figure 2. This feature of adjustability of the clip is particularly due to the relatively long connecting portions 22 which constitute levers of extended length to permit a considerable separation between the looped section 20 and the legs 2 I. By means of my invention, the maximum lever length can be obtained for a clip of given width. I

By referring to Figures 2, 3 and 6, it will 'be seen that the pockets are formed by separate folded sheets or strips adhesively secured to the sides ofthe folder. Figures '7, 8 and 9 illustrate folders formed of a single sheet of flexible cover material, so folded as to form suitable pockets for operatively accommodating the above-described form of clips. In Figure '7 a single continuous sheet is employed forming two sides 39 and 3|, each being folded back upon itself and contain ing an additional return bend, thereby providing pockets 32 and 33 into which the looped section 35 and the legs 35 of the clip 36 extend, the inserts 31 being positioned between sides 30 and SI. In the form of Figure 8, the folder contains only a single side 38 leaving the sheet inserts 39 exposed to view except for the portion between the pocket portions 49 and H into the former of which extend the legs 42 of the clip 63, and into the latter the loop section 44. I

.In all the forms hereinabove described, the resilient clips are completely out of engagement with the inserts. In the form of Figure 9, however, consisting of a single cover'portion 45 with a partial return bend 46, the leg portions 41 of the clip 48 are contained betweensaid portions 45 and 46 of the-folder and are engageable with the nearest adjacent of the inserts 50, the loop section 49 being exposed to view.

It is thus seen that with the use of any of the forms of my invention above described, various thicknesses of papers can be conveniently and firmly accommodated, the sheets being readily insertable and removable and without the necessity of performing any mutilating operations on the inserts or the folder.

It is of .course understood that the various embodiments above described and shown in the drawing are illustrative of my invention and not employed by way of limitation, inasmuch as numerous changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a folder of the class described, a resilient wire holding member in slidable embracing engagementwith the sides of the folder adjacent the folded edge, thereof and comprising a looped section flanked by two outer legs, two intersecting connectin portions each extending transversely from one of said legs to aportion of said looped section adjacent the opposite leg, the sides of the folder being straddled by said looped section on one side thereof and the said legs on the opposite side, the inner terminals of the legs being provided with laterally extending stop portions, and stop means on the folder engageable with said stop portions for limiting the outward slidable movement of the holding member.

2. In a folder of the class described, the combination according to claim 1,,at least one of the said connecting portions being bent out of the plane of said legs, whereby it may be manually grasped for slidably manipulating the member.

3. In a folder of the class described, a resilient wireholding member in slidable embracing engagement with the sides of the folder adjacent the folded edge thereof and comprising a looped section flanked by two outer legs extending inwardly along the sides of the folder, said looped section containing two substantially similarly extending lateral portions each being adjacent oneof said legs, and two intersecting connecting portions each extending transversely from one of said legs to a portion of ,said looped section adjacent the opposite leg, the sides of the folder 5 being straddled by said looped section on one side, thereof and the said legs on the opposite side, at least one of said connecting portionsbeing bent out -,of the plane of the leg to which it is connected whereby it may bemanually grasps: for slidably manipulating the member, the in ner terminals of the legs beingprovided with laterally extending stop portions substantially in one plane, and stop means on the folder engageable with said stop portions for limiting the outward slidable movement of the holding member.

4. In a folder of the class described, a resilient wire holding member in slidable-embracing engagement with the sides of :the folder adjacent the folded edge thereof and comprising a looped section flanked by two outer legs, two intersecting connecting portions each extending transversely from one of said legs to a portion of said looped section adjacent the oppositeleg, the sides of the folder being straddled by said looped section on one side thereofand the said legs on the opposite side, the inner terminals of the legs being provided with laterally extending stop portions,and a pocket for-both of saidlegs adjacent oneside of thefolder andzhaving an opening :in

the region of the folded edge thereof through which said member slidably extends, the width of said opening being less than the extreme distance between said laterally extending stop portions for limiting the outward slidable movement of the member.

5. In a folder of the class described, the combination according to claim 4, said pocket being formed by two layers of material adhesively attached together at certain portions thereof and unattached at other portions, one of said layers being the side of the folder in engagement with the legs of the member, the said Opening communicating with an unattached portion.'

6. In a folder of the class described, a resilient wire holding member in slidable embracing engagement with the sides of the folder adjacent the folded edge thereof and comprising a looped section flanked by two outer legs, two intersecting connecting portions each extending transversely from one of said legs to a portion of said looped section adjacent the opposite leg, the sides of the folder being straddled by said looped section on one side thereof and the said legs on the opposite side, the inner terminals of the legs being provided with laterally extending stop portions, and

a pocket for both of said'legs and another pocket for said looped portion, said pockets being on opposite sides of the folder, each pocket being adjacent one side thereof and having a common opening inthe region of the folded edge thereof through which said member slidably extends, the width of said opening being less than the extreme distance between said laterally extending stop portions for limiting the outward slidable movement of the member.

7. In a folder of the class described, the combination according to claim 6, said pockets being formed by a folded sheet attached to the sides of the folder adjacent the folded edge thereof, the folded edge of the sheet extending parallel to the folded edge of the folder, the said common opening of said pockets being at the folded edge of said sheet.

8. In a folder of the class described, a resilient wire holding member in slidable embracing engagement with the sides of the folder adjacent the folded edge thereof and comprising a looped section flanked by two outer legs, two intersecting connecting portions each extending transversely from one of said legs to a portion of said looped section adjacent the opposite leg, thesides 

